Frequently Asked Questions

Erika Answers your Frequently Asked Questions

There are so many different diapering styles, which one is right for me?

How long does the cloth diaper last?

How do I remove stains?

My baby has a rash. What should I do?

Why does Mother ease not make or sell wool covers?

What is the difference between all of your fabric options?

Why do Mother ease diapers contain polyester?

Why do so many parents start with cloth diapers but revert to disposable diapers?

Do you have another question that is not listed? Please contact us and we will be happy to answer it!

How many cloth diapers do I need to get started?

You need to consider the age of your baby. Newborns and infants will use about 10-12 diapers per day while toddlers may need 6-8. Ideally, you would have 24 cloth diapers, 6-12 absorbent liners, and 4-6 covers for a newborn and 18-24 diapers for a toddler. This quantity allows you to launder every 2-3 days.

How do I wash my cloth diapers?

Washing cloth diapers is really no more difficult than washing regular laundry!

If the cloth diaper is wet, toss it into your diaper pail. If the cloth diaper is soiled, rinse it in the toilet and then put it into the diaper pail.

When your pail is full, empty your diapers into your washing machine. Do a warm rinse cycle and then a HOT wash cycle with the FULL recommended amount of detergent. Set washer to large load and use hot water.

Note: Most eco-friendly and cloth diaper specific detergents do not have enough cleaning power required to properly clean used cloth diapers, often leaving them still smelly even after they have been washed. Click here to see our Wash and Care Instructions.

Which laundry detergent should I use?

Mother ease recommends the use of commercially available detergents made for hot water such as Tide (free and gentle) and Ivory Snow.

For eco-friendly detergents, Mother ease recommends Green Works by Clorox. Cloth diapers should be washed in hot enough water to kill bacteria: 140°F or 60°C.

There are so many different diapering styles, which one is right for me?

We have made a Guide to Cloth Diapering ebook which you can download! This guide will explain each cloth diaper category (5 in total) and all the pros and cons of each.

How long does the cloth diaper last?

You can expect to put one child through a set of Mother ease cloth diapers. And, if cared for properly, many parents are able to use them for a second or even a third child!

The product longevity will be affected by the following variables:

How many cloth diapers you have (which determines how often they will be washed).

Laundry additives (seen in detergents or used as stain removers to whiten and brighten) - very destructive on diapers and recommended to use sparingly or not at all.

And your drying method (line dry or dryer). A dryer is very hard on clothes as it knocks the cotton fibers out of the cloth diapers and is what you find in the lint filter.

How do I remove stains?

To minimize stains, rinse soiled diapers promptly in the toilet (using a diaper sprayer) or lay a liner inside the diaper. You can use either a flushable liner or a stay dry liner to pick up the bowel movement and toss in your toilet.

To remove stains, use the eco-friendly products that will not harm any fabrics like Laundry Miracle.

My baby has a rash. What should I do?

If your baby has a rash, there are a lot of methods you can use to treat the rash naturally before reaching for rash cream:

Let your baby's skin get some air by either having naked time on a towel or blanket or by using a fitted diaper with no cover. Note, using a fitted diaper without a waterproof cover will leak, make sure your baby is on a floor that you can wipe up.

Change your baby's diapers more frequently. If your baby spends a long time in a wet diaper, this could irritate the skin - especially when starting new foods or teething. You can also try laying a stay dry liner between your baby's skin and the diaper to keep wetness away.

Your baby may be having a reaction to your detergent. If you think this might be the case, be sure to completely rinse the old detergent out of your diapers before switching to a new detergent.

Your detergent may not have enough cleaning strength to get bacteria-laden cloth diapers clean. This is commonly seen with eco-friendly or cloth diaper specific detergents. If your diapers smell clean out of the laundry but stink terribly after they have been soiled, try switching detergents and washing your diapers a few times to see if this helps clear the rash.

Avoid unnecessary chemicals on your baby's skin by cleaning with just water and cloth wipes.

Why does Mother ease Cloth Diapers not make or sell wool covers?

A wool cover is only somewhat water resistant and requires frequent cloth diaper changes in order to keep the clothing from becoming wet. It is also quite bulky and requires special hand washing instructions. Wool covers are expensive and with today's high-tech materials the same or better breathability can be achieved without all the drawbacks of wool.

What is the difference between all of your fabric options?

At Mother ease, we pride ourselves on our high quality, custom knit diaper fabrics that offer the most absorbency and easiest cleaning!

Our custom fabrics are available in White and Unbleached Cotton Terry, Bamboo Terry and 100% Organic Cotton Terry and Stay Dry! these fabrics are only available at Mother ease!

Why do Mother ease diapers contain polyester?

Cotton is a very absorbent fiber but not very durable, Because the intent of our cloth diapers is to take a child from birth to toilet training, durability is essential. Not all parents (or babies) are gentle on our cloth diapers, you know!

Our fabrics are custom knitted for us. We choose to include a very small amount of polyester in the fabric's core to provide shrinkage control and ensure product longevity wash after wash. The fabric is knitted in a special way to ensure only 100% cotton touches your baby's delicate skin.

Why do so many parents start with cloth diapers but revert to disposable diapers?

Many parents start out with good intentions. They understand the environmental and health issues associated with disposable diaper use and they are willing to give cloth diapers a try, only to become very discouraged. Not knowing much about cloth diapers, they were sold a cloth diapering system only to find out that their cloth diapers did not withstand daily wear and tear very well, and the breathable cloth diaper covers were not at all waterproof. Moisture wicked onto the baby's clothes creating every more laundry.

As a result, many parents who began cloth diapering with good intentions spent a lot of money and then stopped using them because they leaked. Not only are they now using disposables, they also own a pile of cloth diapers (which had to be manufactured; the cotton grown, sprayed and harvested). Environmentally their good intentions have become a disaster, and we have lost the people who were willing to give cloth diapering an honest try. I believe the cloth diaper industry should take more responsibility for the products they manufacture and promote.

We at Mother ease Cloth Diapers are dedicated to providing a real, natural choice to all those who with us seek to keep our planet healthy and our body's whole. It is good to work together with people like you, each doing our part to ensure a happy future for our babies who will inherit this planet.